Mine Site Electrical Load Calculator
Estimate the total electrical demand of a mine or industrial site by combining process, fixed-plant and other loads with a diversity factor. It returns the connected load, the diversified demand in kW and the apparent demand in kVA for early supply, transformer and generator sizing.
Enter Values
Before you rely on this: First-pass guide only. Verify safety-critical or regulated work against the relevant standards, your project requirements and a qualified professional.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the process load, fixed-plant load and other/mobile load in kW.
- Optionally adjust the diversity factor (default 80%) to reflect how much load runs at once.
- Optionally set the site power factor (default 0.85), then read the demand in kW and kVA.
How it works
Total connected load is the sum of the process, fixed-plant and other loads. Site demand in kW is the connected load multiplied by the diversity factor, which accounts for the fact that not every load runs at full power simultaneously. Apparent demand in kVA is the kW demand divided by the power factor, giving the size the supply, transformer or generator must actually deliver.
Worked example
Worked example. A site has 2000 kW process load, 500 kW fixed plant and 300 kW other load. Connected load is 2800 kW. With 80% diversity the demand is 2240 kW, and at 0.85 power factor the apparent demand is 2635.29 kVA.
Common mistakes
- Sizing supply from the connected load instead of the diversified demand, which oversizes and inflates cost.
- Using an optimistic diversity factor with no load study to back it up.
- Forgetting to convert kW to kVA at the actual power factor when sizing transformers and generators.
Frequently asked questions
What diversity factor should I use?
It depends on the process. Continuous processing plants may sit near 90-100%, while sites with intermittent or standby loads may be lower. A metered load study gives the real figure; 80% is only a starting estimate.
Why does the result show both kW and kVA?
kW is real power consumed, but supplies, transformers and generators are rated in kVA. Dividing kW by the power factor converts demand to the apparent power the equipment must supply.
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Tip: Enter any known values to calculate the remaining results.
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